There exists a large allocated bandwidth around the 60 GHz region of the spectrum, offering the appeal of high-speed short distance wireless personal area networks (WPANs), radar applications such as automotive radar, along with other potential industrial, scientific and medical applications. This has motivated research into low cost, efficient and small form factor integrated millimeter-wave devices in order to facilitate their use in consumer electronic (CE) applications. Wireless systems operating at such millimeter-wave frequencies require appropriate antennas.
One approach to fabricating antennas having adequate operational bandwidth and efficiency for such applications has been to utilise micromachining technology to construct a post-supported antenna, together with a coplanar waveguide (CPW) antenna feed. Such antennas comprise an air dielectric rather than a silicon substrate dielectric, which increases bandwidth and improves radiation efficiency. However, micromachining is not compatible with standard CMOS technology, increases costs, and may raise doubts as to mechanical stability. A further significant issue in fabrication of such antennas can be transition discontinuity losses at connections between the antenna and other transceiver elements.
Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.
Throughout this specification the word “comprise”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.